Munster Junior Cup, 7th January 2024 Match Reports
Munster Junior Cup, 5th Round
Killavilla United 1 – 8 Peake Villa
TSDL champions Peake Villa once again re-iterated the gulf in standards between the South and North Tipperary Leagues, when they easily overcame their neighbours in Roscrea, in this one-sided Munster Junior Cup game. It was a cold afternoon and a little foggy, with both teams eager to get going after the Christmas break. And it was the home side that started better, taking the lead in the eleventh minute when David McNamara scored after being put through by Michael Fitzgerald. But that was as good as it got on the day for the NTDL side. Villa upped the tempo and were level seven minutes later when Darren McGuire put through Pippy Carroll, and the ace marksman made no mistake in finding the net. They hit the front in the twenty ninth minute, when Ronan Mc Guire fired home after being sent on his way by a brilliant Dale Loughnane pass. And six minutes later, Carroll got his second and his sides third when Darragh Byrne turned provider to put him through on goal. The TSDL side held this two goal lead to the break, and added a fourth goal just before the hour mark when Ronan McGuire got his second of the game with another assist from Darragh Byrne. Whatever chance Killavilla had of making a game of it was snuffed out three minutes later when Carroll secured his hat trick, finishing off some excellent support play by Kieren Hennessy. Totally in control now, they added three more goals in the final half hour, with a Billy Mc Carthy strike, and a Kieran Hennessy finish, sandwiching a fourth goal by man of the match Pippy Carroll, making the score eight goals to one, when the referee eventually blew the final whistle.
Tipperary Cup first round 7th January 2024 Match Reports
Clonmel Celtic 4 – 2 Cahir Park B
Clonmel Celtic progressed to the second round of the Tipperary Cup, with a workmanlike four goals to two win against Cahir Park’s seconds at a foggy Celtic Park on Sunday. The hosts almost took the lead in the first minute when a Sean Browne header was scrambled off the line. But they didn’t have to wait much longer, with Brown heading home an inch perfect centre from Paddy Ormond five minutes later. They doubled that lead in the nineteenth minute when the impressive Browne took advantage of a defensive error to fire home from just outside the box. The visiting keeper produced a fine save to deny Celtic a third before the break. The second half followed the same pattern as the first, with the hosts in complete control, and Browne finally completed his hat trick on the hour mark when he was played through and he made no mistake to make the game safe for Celtic. Celtic made a number of changes and one of these Peter O’Dowd set up Seanie Hawkins on seventy minutes to score from close range. Mikey O’Connor pulled one back for the visitors fifteen minutes from time, and Keenan Darcy put further respectability on the scoreboard with his side’s second two minutes from the end.
Cahir Park 2 – 1 Moyglass United
Cahir Park may be having some success after returning to the Premier League this year, but they had to scrap all the way to finally get past Moyglass United in this first round Tipperary Cup tie played at home on Sunday morning. The ground was cold and hard, but it survived the extensive frost of the weekend. What was also on display however was the rustiness of the winter break, in this the first game back in almost a month. And it showed, as while the home side dominated most of the early proceedings, they found it difficult to break down a stubborn Moyglass defence, fashioning nothing more than half chances for most of the first half. If anything, once they grew into the game, it was the visitors who looked the more dangerous, and the Park had goalkeeper Brian Sweeny to thank, after he made two excellent saves, for them going to the half time break scoreless. The second half however saw the hosts re-assert their control, and as the half wore on, their superior fitness started to come to the fore. That said, it took until just ten minutes from the end, for the breakthrough to come, when a long ball from Stephen Duggan found Ger Quinn in space, one on one with the visiting keeper, and he held his nerve to slot the ball into the net. With the away side now needing to commit more bodies forward, gaps opened up inevitably, and they conceded a second goal three minutes later, this time Paraic Farrell firing across the goal, for John O Brien to tap in. This gave the home side some cushion of comfort and although Stephen Houlihan did pull a goal back for Moyglass, it was the final kick of the game, and made no impact on the final outcome.
Tipperary Cup first round 7th January 2024 Match Reports
SC & K United 6 – 1 Tipperary Town
Played on a desperately cold morning for a game, one of the only morning games to survive the bug freeze at the weekend, Kilsheelan United’s juniors made their way to the second round of the Tipperary Cup after a big win over fellow Third Division rivals Tipperary Town. The home side started strongly and deservedly went a goal ahead after nine minutes when Ben Smith’s pull-back found Mark Heffernan who tapped home. Mid-way through the half, they came close twice to doubling our lead, firstly John O’Dwyer saw this effort rebound off the crossbar, before O Dwyer again saw his low-drilled effort saved well by the keeper. From the resulting corner however, Cian Roche got on the end of Cathal de Faoite’s delivery to fire home and extend the lead. But just moments later, the visitors halved the deficit, with their striker getting in behind the home defence and finding the bottom left corner. The game went to the break, two goals to one, and ten minutes into the second period, the hosts regained the two goal lead once more, when Cian Roche got his second of the game, heading home from another Cathal de Faoite corner kick. It was four to one in the sixty eight minute when a mix up in the visiting defence ended up in an own goal, before substitute Aaron Costin got on the score-sheet himself fourteen minutes from time, to make it five one. Celtic finished off the scoring after seven minutes from the end, when Nathan Dolan dispatched a penalty to leave the scoreline six goals to one at the end.
St Nicholas 4 – 2 Peake Villa
The home side started brightly and thought they had opened the scoring after just five minutes, but their effort was ruled out for an offside infringement. They continued to have the upper hand though, but were rocked on eighteen minutes when Villa’s Liam Mc Cormack scored against the run of play to put the visitors one up. But this didn’t stop the hosts from continuing to attack, and they were level in the thirty second minute, when Aaron Ryan Shiner converted a great cross from Declan Riordan, heading past the stranded keeper. The game was very entertaining at this stage, with both sides having a go at every opportunity that was presented to them. But there were to be no more goals in the first half, and the teams went to the break level. Villa started better in the second period and only took three minutes to re-establish their lead when Renan De Carvalho headed home with the home defence caught napping. On fifty seven minutes, the Saints were back level for the second time, with Jason Sutton getting the goal, another headed effort after Aaron Ryan Shiner provided the assist. From here on in, it was one way traffic with the home side taking over, and twenty minutes from time, they finally got their noses in front, when Ryan Shiner was taken down in the area for a penalty kick, and Sutton added his second of the day from the spot. They made sure of the win, with a fourth goal in the final minutes when Ryan Shiner topped a brilliant performance by setting up Jack Downey, who finished to the net from ten yards out.
Galbally United 2 – 2 Ballingarry Albion
These two teams will have to do it all again in their Tipperary Cup first round game, after the tie ended in a draw, but decreasing visibility due to fog made it impossible to play extra time on the day. The game was dominated in the early stages by the home side, and they finally made their pressure count in the twenty fifth minute when they opened the scoring thanks to a long range strike by James O Sullivan. They continued holding the initiative and got what they thought would be a crucial second goal five minutes before the break, when O Sullivan added a second, assisted by a Peter Morrissey header across goal from a corner kick. But the visitors were a different proposition in the second half, and pulled a goal back just after the hour mark when Marty Ivers found the net, after some good build up play. They continued to chase down an equaliser, often pinning the hosts back for long periods, and finally got a deserved second goal when Eoin Burke got on the end of a pass into the area, and fired home from twelve yards. The game finished level on two all after ninety minutes, but with thick fog beginning to envelop the pitch, the planned extra time was called off and the teams will do it all again in a fortnight to see who advances to the second round.
Cashel Town 5 – 0 Burncourt Celtic
Cashel Town continued their good pre-Christmas form in this first game back after the festive celebrations, by completing a good win at home to Third Division side Burncourt Celtic. The home side were at it from the get go, and had a number of half chances before they finally opened the scoring in the tenth minute, with a good strike Seanie Fitzpatrick. They continued to make chances throughout the first half, but showed some ring rustiness in the finishing, fluffing their lines in front of goal on a number of occasions. They finally got it right however, five minutes before the break, when Eoin Byrne finished from close range after a goalmouth scramble. They went into cruise control mode for most of the second period, but added to their tally almost twenty minutes from the end when they were awarded a penalty and Byrne added his second and his sides third. Callum Meagher added a fourth ten minutes from time with a bullet of a shot from fourteen yards out, and evergreen veteran Joe Breen got the final goal of the game when he made a great run, rounded two defenders, and slammed home a good finish into the corner giving the visiting keeper no chance.
Cullen Lattin 4 – 0 Vee Rovers
Cullen welcomed a depleted Vee Rovers side to Aisling Park on Sunday, and progressed to the next round of the Cup after a well-earned four goal win. The home side were dominated from the start but failed to put the ball in the net until the thirty second minute, when centre back Mickie O Brien got in the end of a Darren Mc Grath corner, and fired the ball to the net. But for all their control of the game, they were almost made to pay for some loose play just before half time when an Alex Spence free kick found Alan Condon at the back post unmarked but failed to hit the target by inches. Buoyed by that, the away side started the second period strongly, but the hosts weathered the storm and went two up when Darren Mc Grath did well out wide, getting the ball to the end line, before pulling a pass back to Tony O Neill to tap into the net, just on the hour mark. Tommy O Mahoney made it three twenty minutes from time, with Mc Grath again the provider, and again finding his player unmarked at the back post. Mikey Stokes made it four ten minutes from time, when a Tony O Neill corner was flicked on and he made no mistake from six yards out. Vee didn’t throw in the towel and Dillon Keating had a shot deflected wide two minutes from time, but Cullen dealt with the resulting corner to hold on for a good win.
Clonmel Town 3 – 1 Old Bridge
Clonmel Town advanced to the next round of the Tipperary Cup thanks to a hard-earned victory over local rivals Old Bridge on a very cold afternoon last Sunday. The Bridge came to the Complex looking for a repeat of last season’s single goal victory but it wasn’t to be as Town dug deep late on to secure the win, and shrug off a poor run of form of their own. The away side started well and created a few half chances but eventually the hosts settled into the game and took control when Ian Cleary steered them in front before half time. Town were the better side in the first twenty minutes of the second period, but were rocked back with twenty minutes left, when a long ball over the home defence caused confusion and Ale Greene was able to capitalise, beating the keeper to the ball, and lobbing it to the net. This setback however spurred the home side into attack and they soon regained the lead when Ian Cleary got his second of the day, with a very tidy finish after some good build up play. Town got the insurance goal with time running out when Shane O’Meara scored his first goal of the season on his return from injury, after the visitors left gaps in defence while trying to chase an equalising goal.
Tipperary Youth Cup, 1st Round 06th of January 2024 Match Reports
Cullen Lattin 0 – 5 Cashel Town
Second Division Cullen/Lattin returned to action after the Christmas break on Saturday when they hosted high flyers Cashel Town, who are also on an excellent run in the FAI and Munster Youths cups. Given that, the young Cullen team were always going to be up against it from the off. In the tie, and the visitors went at them right from the start. They had two early chances, but both shots were dragged wide. Finally, on twelve minutes they broke the deadlock when Jack Lawlor’s high cross was misread by the home keeper and dropped into the net to put his side in front. They continued to dominate and looked set to double their lead on a couple of occasions, but the home side dealt with all that was thrown at them, and even fashioned a good chance just before the break, but Javi Serrano’s shot, just went the wrong side of the post. Only a goal to the good at the break, the Division One side came out with real intent in the second period and added a goal within two minutes, when Ciaran Burke tapped home from close range to double the advantage. Cillian Fitzgerald added a third three minutes later, and that made things much more comfortable for the away team. Five minutes after the hour mark, Conal Moloney headed home at the back post after some good work down the right, to ensure there would be no unlikely comeback from the hosts. Joe Howard in the Cullen goal was having an excellent performance, but even he couldn’t keep the fifth out seven minutes from time when a desperate clearance rebounding off of one of his own defenders and ended back up in the net behind him, to close out the scoring for the day.
Clonmel Town 1 – 5 Clonmel Celtic
It was Clonmel derby day at Ferryhouse on Saturday afternoon as Town and Celtic faced off in the first round of the Tipperary Cup. But by the end of the game, the spoils most emphatically law with the nominal away side on the day, as Celtic progressed on a comprehensive scoreline. The first ten minutes were very even with both teams vying for control of the game, but Celtic finally drew first blood in the twelfth minute when Michael Reilly flicked home a corner at the front post. Ten minutes later, things got even better for Celtic, when Rhys Lonergan added a second, placing a well struck effort into the bottom corner of the net. They were in full control at this stage, and added a third just after the half hour mark when Roy Nugent deftly flicked a ball over the stranded Town keeper, and watched it roll into the net. The rest of the half was rather quiet with no more real chances of note being created. The game effectively finished as a contest three minutes into the second period when Celtic added their fourth, stripping the Town defence before crossing to find Dominik Mendel all alone to tap in at the back post. Town didn’t give up however, and pulled a goal back in the sixty seventh minute when Monsur Emiabata shot across the face of goal into the bottom corner. But the next chance of note that Town had to try to claw their way back into the game, came five minutes from time when they were awarded a penalty, that was unfortunately dragged wide. A minute later Celtic broke upfield, and Mendel slotted home his second, and his sides fifth goal of the game, to round out the scoring.
Clonmel Town B 2 – 6 Two Mile Borris
Clonmel Town Youth’s second team also fell from the Tipperary Youths Cup at the first hurdle when they went down to a very strong Two Mile Borris side at the weekend. The home side started brightly and went ahead through Joyel Joby after ten minutes following a mix up in the Boris defence. The same player thought he had added a second three minutes later only to see it ruled out for off side. And that proved to have been a turning point as the visitors were level just minutes later following a free kick which was met by Cian O’Dwyer at the back post. They went ahead in the twentieth minute when another well taken free rebounded into the net off a Town defender. The home side fought back and levelled on the half hour mark following good work from Eanna Cullinan who crossed for Jack Fahey to finish well from inside the area, but ten minutes from the break, Borris went ahead again following a long-range free kick from Sean O’Dwyer to leave the scoreline three goals to two to the visitors at half time. A fifteen-minute spell at the start of the second half saw the away team pull well ahead. They made it four five minutes into the half following a well struck Adam Bolger goal, and five minutes later he increased the with a well taken shot from the edge of the box. Cian O’Dwyer rounded off the scoring just after the hour mark. Town to their credit battled well and had a few half chances but were unable to add to their tally and Borris ran out deserved winners.